


Side story 2: Arawns test

by WonderSilver



Series: Stories from around Kisaragi [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Cooking, Food, Gothic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:42:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27096745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderSilver/pseuds/WonderSilver
Summary: A wandering traveler asked for a job at the Ferre manor. Will he be able to get hired, or just end up another victim of the lady of the manor.
Series: Stories from around Kisaragi [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2085048
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	Side story 2: Arawns test

**Author's Note:**

> Another character story jnstead of writing the main plot :D

After the end of an especially tiring day of hearing complaints from the people of Achatsheol, the ever tired queen Liza lays back on her chair. She lets out a sigh as she undoes the hair buns around her black horns, letting her short, flowy hair flow. 

As she goes to grab her cup of coffee she notices there's one more client waiting in the dark, gothic hall.  
A man with long, orange hair, and a big beard. with bandages around his eyes. wearing a large backpack with all kinds of tools for hunting. brandishing a spear in hand, with what seems to be a celtic cross etched on it.

"Another dirty wandering hunter… if he dares to sell me an animal carcass, ill murder him."  
She muttered before sitting up straight, crossing her arms, and calling for him to enter her office. Using the spear as a makeshift walking stick, he came in.  
"I apologize for the wait sir, name and reason for your coming here, please"  
she said with a tired and flat voice. 

The man introduced himself with a smile, and a polite irish accent.  
"Me name's Arawn Dannan and I've come here looking for a job your majesty"  
Trying her hardest to hold her irritation, and to sound as polite as possible.  
"Im sorry sir, i can only help with complaints about not enough jobs being available. And I assure you, there are plenty of jobs available, especially for a hunter such as yourself. All you have to do is go to a business that's hiring and apply. Any more questions sir? It is quite late." 

"You see your majesty, I came here because I would like to work for you."  
He said with the same smile he came in the office with. Now, Liza was infamous for being a stone faced, cold, irritable queen. Asking to work for her was something not many asked, and less seceded in. Unsurprisingly she responded with.  
"Please get out."  
"I can be your personal chef! Trust me me lady, in me many travels i've learned to cook a magical meal"  
He quickly replied. With an even bigger smile.

Liza was indeed intrigued, for she hasn't had a proper meal in millennia. But.  
"Pardon me, but aren't you visually impaired?"  
She asked, ready to throw him out.  
"I am blind me lady, but I only need me ears and nose to cook and hunt, I've survived this long right? Ahahaha!"  
He let out a hearty laugh. Liza was not amused, who would dare laugh in front of the cold blooded Queen!  
Maybe it was lady fate dropping her thread, or maybe it was his contagious joy and carefree nature, but instead of cutting his head off in that moment, this only helped to pique her curiosity even more about this odd, cheerful man.

"Cook me a meal then, Mr. Danann, I'll come to a decision then."  
She said with a cold stare. Leaning forward on her desk, and resting her head on her hand.  
Arawn grew the biggest, most genuine smile, and started speaking.  
"I promise I won't disappoint, me lady! I'll get right to i-"  
He was promptly cut off by Liza.  
"But! Shave that beard, and do something about that ridiculous hair. If I see even the tiniest of hairs on my plate, it's your head feeding the amberhounds."  
She said with a calm, but hellishly demanding voice, her piercing stare displayed foreboding seriousness, even a skeleton would feel their nonexistent heart skip a beat. such is the power and authority of the Queen.

"R-right! Uhm.. where do I ready meself?"  
He asked a bit frantically and nervously; still shaken by the fearsome tone of the queen's voice.  
"N'yarlana will show you to the bathroom where you may groom yourself. Call for her again once you're ready, and she'll show you to the kitchen. We don't have many ingredients or tools though."  
She responded with a quick to the point firmness. 

He pardoned himself, then followed the maid N'yarlana throughout the many hallways and rooms of the grand manor.  
Finally reaching the bathroom, he thanked the Maid and walked in. After a considerably long time, he came out and called for the maid.  
"Yes? What can i- o-oh my, I uh-um i"  
She had become a blushing, frenzied mess, after having a look at the new man before her. His clean shave made his smile shine even brighter, and his long mess of hair had become a beautiful braid that reached his waist.  
"Are you ok lass? Do I call for help?"  
He asked with gentle charm. She cleared her throat, and dusted her dress, as a way to regain composure.  
"N-no no, I'm fine! I just um. Anyways! To the kitchen right?"  
"That's right lass, I'll have to give it me all" 

As they started walking to the kitchen, N'yarlana decided to break the silence.  
"S-so why do you want to work here, Mr. Danann? It isn't exactly the most pleasant place to work at haha"  
She let out a small nervous giggle.  
"Oh no need for formalities, call me Arawn. And well you see lass, I've worked for many a king in me time, and I can't really see meself working for any other but royalty. It's in me blood."  
"O-oh i see. I have always taken positions of a servant, like I was born to serve rather than to command. W-what im trying to say is! I guess I can relate. But why a chef? You um seem to have t-the physique of a hunter."  
"Oh lass, why am I a hunter! I hunt for all me ingredients, can't get fresher than that ahaha! But I'd be lying if i said I've always been a hunter. I was a warrior, lass, I've killed many, I didn't lose me eyesight from natural causes I'll tell you that."  
"Pardon the intrusion, but, why did you stop?"  
"Well lass, after an exceptionally pointless war, i've realized it just isn't worth it. to be working for these tyrannical monsters in power, it broke me down, I lost me spirit seeing all the brave men who threw their lives away for mere seconds of glory. I became a traveler. For many a year i've been wandering, searching for a purpose. And i'm hoping this gives me what i'm looking for." 

A bleak silence befell the hallway. After a long pause N'yarlana once again broke the silence.  
"I-i see, i'm sorry for asking. B-but! I guarantee you! Lady Ferre isn't bad! She may not show it, but she really cares, Trust me!"  
"Ahahaha! well lass when you say it like that, i've no choice but to believe you."  
He said with a big laugh and equally big smile. N'yarlana couldn't help but giggle and smile alongside him.  
They had reached the kitchen. Arawn headed inside, full of determination to please the lady of the manor.  
"Um g-good luck A..Arawn!"  
"..Thank you lass"

He entered the abandoned kitchen, filled with cobwebs and dust. The hollow emptiness gave him a chill. But nothing would deter his will to cook. He cleaned his work area, and with tools and ingredients from his backpack ready. He got to work. with the elegance of an artist painting a landscape he took out his knife. Every cut from his knife was delicate and swift, 3 pans cooking at the same time, every temperature precise. The sizzling was music to his ears. Even if a wendigo crashed through the wall, he wouldn't stop. Nothing could stop him, he was completely entranced in his work. He took out a plate and put all the puzzle pieces together, and finished his work of art. It was time.

Lady Ferre was patiently waiting in the dining hall, when Arawn came out with a covered plate. He slowly slid it in front of the queen, and uncovered it. The smell was intoxicating.  
"I've prepared for you tonight a braised Hydra neck, on a bed of fresh tylite vegetables, surrounded with mushrooms from the bóinne valley. so tender it'll melt in your mouth. I do hope you enjoy, me lady"  
Liza grabbed her fork and knife. The knife sank through the meat, like butter, the heavenly juices flowed out of the meat. She added a mushroom to her fork and ate it.  
Arawn was not smiling. Hands behind his back, eagerly waiting. Silently shaking from his nerves.  
N'yarlana was peaking through the door, on the brink of tears waiting for the lady's reaction.  
The room felt cold, an intense silence, save for Arawns foot repeatedly tapping the ground. If you listened closely enough you might've been able to hear the fast heartbeats of the chef and maid.

Right when Arawns and N'yarlanas hearts were about to explode.  
….she smiled.  
The coldblooded queen smiled. A genuine smile. Not a sadistic smile, not a smug smile, not the smile she would give when she executed someone. But a smile of pure happiness. The queen had not smiled of genuine happiness since, gods know how long. She quickly cut herself another piece and ate it. Eyes closed, hands on her cheeks, she kept smiling throughout her meal.  
Arawns usual smile was back on his face after hearing the knife cut piece after piece. N'yarlana did cry, but tears of happiness.

After her meal was done, she opened her eyes and quickly regained her composure and cleared her throat, and put on her usual stone face. Frankly quite embarrassed.  
"Hm I apologize for my unseemly display back then. Mr. Danann, that was a wonderful meal, and well. I'm not quite sure what to say, it's been quite some time since i hired someone but-"  
Arawn quickly interrupted her.  
"That's all you have to say, Me lady!! I am extremely thankful for this opportunity, I will not let it go to waste! Mark me words!!"  
"W-Well then, i'll have N'yarlana make a unifo-"  
She was once again interrupted by N'yarlana dashing through the door, with tears in her eyes, to hug the new chef of the manor.  
"Ahem! Like i was saying i'll also have N'yarlana prepare a room for you to st-"  
For the third time she was interrupted. This time by a bear hug from Arawn, holding both Liza and N'yarlana in his arms.  
"I-i demand you let go of me this instant! Do you wish to lose your position this quickly!!"  
She desperately demanded, unfortunately he could not hear her through his great laugh and N'yarlanas sob. 

Worry not, he was not fired. He just had to sleep with no blankets for a few nights.

Fin.


End file.
